Character Creation for ROFROF (OOC)

To discuss the creation of all of ROFROF's characters (magus, companion, grogs, familiar, apprentices). This includes the concept, drafts, background, advancement, lab work, etc.

Final versions of the characters will have their own topic.

As mentioned I intend to fill the role of Hermetic Ambassador.

I am thinking a maga that grew up in the Greater Alps Tribunal - in one of the covenants there. Being surrounded by magic and magi made her become dependant on being in a magical aura, and she developed "Bound to Magic", making living in anything less than an Aura 5 impossible.

She is connected to the waterways, lakes and streams through her magic, giving her good abilities with Aquam, and she also has a magical animal companion which are actually three small carps (more on these below). She also uses ice as a medium when fighting, or for controlling people.

Having to live in auras, her Mater found her useful to train as an ambassador/diplomat that could visit covenants and offer aid, scheme, gather information and so on. To this end, she was also trained in teleportation magic, for easy and quick access to covenants in the area (I am thinking her Mater could also have given her a few arcane connections to several covenants in the area as a gift at Gauntlet).

I was thinking of her as a waterbender from The Last Avatar, in that she moves into positions and postures when she uses her magic - a method caster, maybe even necessary condition. She is obviously curious about various other covenants' cultures and growth, as well as auras and regios into the Magical Realm.
She finds mundane society weird, and rarely worth her time, this tends to leave her haughty and pessimistic when interacting with mundanes.

I have not settled on a house yet - I thought about Flambeau to do something different with the ambassador type than Trianoma or Tremere. Flambeau for having honourable, courteous relations between the covenants, and make sure deals are respected, that words given are held as oaths etc.

Magical Animal Companion

Past, Present, Future.

Three small koi carps that ”swim” around her neck. Each are about 5 inches long but their long flowing fins and tails make for an eerie looking dance, as they wind themselves around her.

Past: Past is a light green and golden koi with fins tinged with gold and a greenish tail. A spot of darker emerald sits between its eyes. It is a bit nostalgic and values good manners.

Present: Present is golden with purple, especially at the fins and tail. A spot of deep purple sits between its eyes. It is curious and talkative.

Future: Future is silvery-blue with opalescent fins and tail. A spot of clear white sits between its eyes. It is sceptical and sarcastic.

They have distinct personalities and give advice and talk on their own, but they also have a hivemind and act as a unit when needed; and thus are presented as a single magical animal companion.

My reasoning for choice of virtues and flaws stems partly from what makes sense for what I want to play, and background, but granted also a few where I think ”This is nice to have”.

With my focus as a Hermetic Ambassador who can teleport to the covenants around Laimunt Valley, I have chosen to take Minor Magical Focus (Teleportation) – that is if people agree it is a minor focus? I have had it before in a tabletop compaign, where we saw it as a subset of Rego Corpus. Granted it can also teleport other forms, but I think it would be limited how much I would use it.

Also with the specialisation in Aquam I am taking Affinity with Aquam, and also Affinity with Rego, to boost my Arts enough that I can start with Leap of Homecoming. I mentioned seeing her as a waterbender from the Avatar series, so I am choosing Method Caster (”Graceful movements”/”Precise body positions”).

I see her also as a person, who is methodical because of her connection to Aquam, and that translates into Cautious Sorcerer to me – she analyses and takes her time understanding her magic. To amp up her connection with watermagic, Personal Vis Source (Aquam) that stems from meditating with freshwater in a bowl in front of her, that after 1 hours meditation crystalises into small pebbles containin Aquam vis.

Since she will be Bound to Magic, I'd like for her to have Book Learner, as she often found herself at the library of her home covenant (to be decided where), and she easily takes to understanding written concepts – but to make her open to adventures and socialising with covenfolk, I am also giving her Independant Study to show that she is fine on her own and draws conclusions from understanding interconnections between the covenants she visits, their culture, people and traditions.

As she was raised in a covenant, and exposed heaavily to magic, and the closed of life of the place, she has Bound to Magic and Covenant Upbringing – making it harder for her to be a normal part of the mundane world. She also was contacted by a magical creature of Aquam – the koi carps now know to her as Past, Present and Future, and she has these as a Magical Animal Companion.

She was raised in house Flambeau and was trained in the school of Sebastian – obviously specifically Aquam, and using the optional rule (if people are ok with it), she has Puissant Aquam as her House Virtue. Also being raised in the Flambeau she was taught the values of chivalry and courtesy, and thus has a corresponding personality trait – Courteous

Seeing Aquam as the element of life, she has a difficult time using and integrating its opposite, the destruction of life, things, even concepts - Deficient Technique (Perdo)

Having spent so much time travelling to other covenant she has garnered a lot of contacts amongst the stewards, librarians, hunters, companions etc. giving her Social Contacts x2 (I will create these as agents with the rules from Societates). Lastly, though she has so far hidden it well, her focus with Aquam means that defending herself from Ignem is more difficult (Flawed Parma Magica - Ignem)

Virtues:

Affinity with Aquam – minor, hermetic

Affinity with Rego – minor, hermetic

Cautious Sorcerer – minor, hermetic

Booklearner – minor, general

Independant Study – minor, general

Method Caster – minor, hermetic

Minor Magical Focus (Teleportation) – minor, hermetic

Personal Vis Source (Aquam) – minor, hermetic

Puissant Aquam – minor, hermetic (free house virtue)

Social Contacts x2 – minor, general

Flaws:

Bound to Magic – major, supernatural

Courteous – minor, personality

Covenant Upbringing – minor, personality

Deficient Technique (Perdo) – major, hermetic

Flawed Parma Magica (Ignem) – minor, hermetic

Magical Animal Companion – minor, story

1 Like

I've been thinking about the Bound to Magic flaw. It bugs me a bit, as to me it represents someone who is no longer quite human, or who was heavily Warped by a powerful aura (6+).

Aside from that, let's consider how much warping does that represents. Well, ArM5 p.168 (last paragraph of Effects of Warping) say that your only gain a Major flaw when you reach a Warping score of 6 (anything before that only gives Minor flaws). That would be 105 Warping Points accumulated during apprenticeship.

Any master that let his/her apprentice be exposed to that much warping would probably be accused of mistreating the apprentice. Magi know better than to do that. So the rationale for the Flaw doesn't work.

It also seems strange that a magus who is all about "Aquam, Aquam, Aquam" has a Minor Focus in teleportation.

Magical Animal Comapnion is a Story flaw. What kind of stories will the fish generate? The way you describe them, they just seem more like ornamentation than story-generating companions. Also, they are presumably Aquam creatures, but they spend all their time swimming in the air?

I understand if there is a want to change Bound to Magic, but as written it is Aura 5+ ; an aura of 5 does not warp, so would be doable?

Yes it is true that Teleportation is a tad "put on", but I wanted to be able to teleport easily to other covenants, thus the inclusion because Lvl 35 is not realistic from game start with out it. I could change my Vis source to Rego away from Aquam to show the Courteous and chivalric side of oaths and control to push that up.

True the carps are "swimming" in the air, but to me that is aesthetic more than substance; they are still linked to Aquam - and I think some leeway is possible - a bird does not have to be Auram or Animal, a beaver does not have to be Creo.

Regarding what stories they'd tell, or create - I was thinking forays into Magic regios, them having "Visions" or "premonitions" and thus be able to foretell things that happen on a magical level and wanting my maga to respond to it.

Alternatively I could take a Lesser Malediction, that functions like Bound to Magic but for Aura level 3+ - that gives a bit more leeway for the auras she can live in, and stay in, and means most covenants can host her.

I changed the wording to make it more palatable

Aquam expert

Trained in the School of Sebastian, she is apt with Aquam (Puissant Aquam- house virtue, and Affinity with Aquam). Her abilities in the art drew the attention of a trio of magical creatures functioning as one (Magical Animal Companion). Knowing so much of this element and seeing it symbolically represented as the element of life, made her loathe destroying things (Deficient Technique Perdo), as well as not really understanding how to protect herself from fire (Flawed Parma Magica: Ignem). Thankfully she is a careful student and follow the metodical and quiet way of water, which has made it easier for her to see faults in her own magic (Cautious Sorcerer)

Flambeau honour and chivalry

Raised with the view that Flambeau are honourable and courteous, she developed a personlity to suit that (Courteous) and also came to emphasise the need to control and steer a situation, whether socially or magically (Affinity with Rego, and Personal Vis Source: Rego). She also found that expressing her magic in the way of old martial movements updated for her personal use, made her cast spells more reliably (Method Caster). She has also found it valuable to know a few of the fighters and companions at various covenants (Social contacts)

Hermetic Lifestyle

Having grown up in a covenant (Covenant Upbringing), she was exposed to a lot of magic, effects, creatures etc, and thus grew to only truly be able to live in a magical aura (Lesser Malediction – Aura 3+, else functions as Bound to Magic).

She spent a lot of time both reading at libraries and talking with ovenfolk and delving into the culture and society of covenants (Independant Study, Booklearner and Social Contacts). Also with her Parens focus on intra-covenant cooperation and diplomacy, she was trained in movement magic, and found a talent with Teleportation (Minor Magical Focus: Teleportation).

With this I still need two minor flaws.

Just to address one minor thing, level 35 is not really that big of a deal, especially for a spell you can learn from a lab text, so if that's your only reason for the mmf I don't think it's necessary.

No but if it is the benchmark for my maga's parens, that she can travel quickly, and having Leap of homecoming at Gauntlet it is kinda necessary.

You posted a new version while I was writing, but I think my comments on the old version can still bring you some insights. I will post on the new version right after that.


Why would that change anything? To gain the flaw based on your explanation, your magus needs to have accumulated 105 Warping Points. Whether that was due to the aura or being exposed to repeated powerful effects is moot. Living in a level 5 aura would not have given him the flaw.

You don't need teleportation to have (relatively) easy transportation between covenant. Just have you character purchase some form of magical transportation during his post-Gauntlet years of advancement. Be imaginative! Teleportation is the boring way to do this.

The point is, do they spend all their time swimming around your neck? If so, then they are just a cosmetic way of giving you the Visions story flaw. A magical companion should have a personality, interact with you, have interests of his own, etc. And occasionally pull into stories, cause you some trouble or save your bacon. I just want you to think about putting some more depth into your fishes.

So perhaps they're not always around you? Popping out of the mundane reality and going the the realm of Aquam? Exploring the nearby streams?


Now on to the new version

This shares some of the same problems as Bound to Magic -- your explanation would imply the character accumulated Warping Points until he got enough to gain a Minor Flaw.

This would be simpler if you just stated that the child was born in a powerful aura (and perhaps in some special circumstances as well) that caused the flaw. Since you are already taking Covenant Upbringing flaw, it would change anything else.

Actually, that would kind of go against the Flambeau philosophy for the Gauntlet. If she can just Leap home, being dropped into a far-away place and having to make it home would be moot.

HoH:S p.14 mentions that "In House Flambeau, the purpose of the Gauntlet is to demonstrate the candidate’s fighting ability." Leap of Homecoming doesn't contribute in any way to that.

I hope the following does not come off as disrespectful or too antagonistic :slight_smile:

I have absolutely no idea why I would have to have accumulated warping to gain Bound to magic or a Lesser Malediction ? These things can develop or yes she can be born with it. Develop on its own and not as a result of warping - if not then every Hermetic Flaw gained before Gauntlet carries the argumentation that you need warping to get it.

I am fine with her being born with it as she has covenant upbringing, but I do not accept the argument that she needs a massive amount of warping to have a flaw that necessitates her living the majority of her life in a magical aura.

I am fine with the fish popping off on their own ofc, exploring streams, going in to the Magic Realm etc. My plan is to bind them as familiars at one point

Regarding teleportation - this is my preferred method of travel with this character; I am ok with not taking a focus in teleportation, and maybe not start with Leap of Homecoming, but she will pursue that spell ASAP after Gauntlet.

1 Like

No, she doesn't need to have massive amount of warping to have one of those flaws. There are many ways she could have gotten them.

However, the reason you give in your background is "she was exposed to a lot of magic, effects, creatures etc." That implies that the flaw was caused by repeated exposure to powerful magic over time -- which in turn implies warping.

If she was born with it, or a single specific event caused it, or anything else that does not imply exposure over time, then I wouldn't raise the warping. In Ars Magica, the causality for exposure over time is: exposure >> warping >> flaw.

As for teleportation, I'm certainly ok with you learning the spell. I personally find teleportation spells boring, but that's a personal preference and I'm not trying to impose it on you in any way. I was simply raising alternatives that would allow you to keep as close to your Aquam concept and yet achieve your stated objective of easy travel.

Fair - the wording probably made the idea suffer in its presentation. Take it as she is born with the Lesser Malediction (and probably had to learn the hard way as a kid).

She will have the Leap of Homecoming as a goal after Gauntlet.

All good.

Just keep in mind that I am trying to juggle pushing forward the building of the covenant, commenting on all 6 of your magi, and building my magus. (In that order of priority)

That makes for a lot of reading and writing. And I'm working a full time job too. :wink:

2 Likes

Would Ice be small enough as a Minor Magical Focus btw?

1 Like

I would think so. Small subset of Aquam/Terram.

2 Likes

Roswitha was born at a chapterhouse of the Covenant of the Icy North in the Greater Alps Tribunal. Her mother was a dyer of clothes and had the Sight, and her father was an illuminator and artist whose writings were imbued with magic. Thus blessed, her mother's pregnancies were viewed with great anticipation of the magi.

Roswitha was born alongside her twin brother Santo, and grew up having the run of the covenant. It was a small-ish place, but produced several good products, that made it visited by traders and redcaps alike. Roswitha found their tales of other covenants impressive, and she would sit for hours listening in the great hall to their stories.

At the age of 5 all children at the chapterhouse were screened for the Gift, though both Roswitha and Santo had begun to exhibit small signs of it – being so accustomed to the children, the covenfolk did not take badly to their Gift, but Roswitha freezing over a well and Santo making the woodwork sing were seen as minor inconveniences.

Recognising her affinity with Aquam, Marcella of house Flambeau took Roswitha as an apprentice, and Hadrian of house Bonisagus took Santo.

Marcella was a fair and wellknown Flambeau; she took it upon herself to hold old warrior codes alive in her house, as well as foster cooperation based on tourneys, honourable dimicatio, grandiose diplomacy and strategic alliance building. She set about teaching Roswitha, now renamed Pluvia, the intricacies of her view on hermetic diplomacy. Though each person has their own angle to it, Pluvia found that stoic adherence to rules and etiquette sometimes had to be tempered with backroom deals and subtle applications of threats – even if she always tried to be discreet and courteous about it.

Marcella, though fair, was also a stickler for details, and though she initially accepted a young knight's courting of Pluvia, when the lad did not adhere to her strict notions of a chaste nobel love, she forbade him for talking to Pluvia again, and set him away. Heartbroken, Pluvia challenged her master to Certamen, and was soundly beaten, and told to travel to Where Journeys End, to think about what she had done. A mere apprentice, she made her way there (though with a few grogs), and actually found that she enjoyed seeing new places.

Mostly intrigued by the other covenant, and their local customs, she found the travelling there rather tedious (Even if she enjoyed seeing the rivers and lakes on her way). She spent 6months there, before returning and was beaming with new insights – a take on her life that Marcella utilised in bringing her along on many of her travels to other covenants. It was at such a covenant in a low aura, that Pluvia learned of her malediction; she was struck with a terrible wound as she found the surroundings too mundane and bereft of enough hermetic wonder. Understanding a lot of the strange goings on of magical blood, Marcella dared to venture that Pluvia needed to be within an aura as much as she could.

The last years of her apprenticeship was spent at many different covenants, seeing how Marcella handled herself well with both confrontations and offers of friendship. It was on such a journey that she met Past, Present and Future – battling a water elemental at a large lake, Marcella and Pluvia managed to detroy it and the three carps appeared to thank Pluvia for her decisive actions. When Marcella objected, the carps merely looked her over and stated that they had meant what they said, and they'd be following HER, not her.

Fuming at this, Marcella decided that Pluvia's gauntlet was to be dropped from a ship in the Mediterranean and make her way back to the chapterhouse, without the carps. Pluvia used to travelling did not expect this, but accepted, and vowed to learn more movement magic, so she would not have to spend time travelling again, when she would rather just teleport to all the magnificent covenants, she wanted to see and revisit.

2 Likes

Pluvia filia Marcella ex Flambeau

At Gauntlet, 20years old

Int +2

Per 0

Str 0

Sta 0

Pre +2

Com +1

Dex 0

Qui 0

Virtues:

The Gift, Hermetic Maga

Affinity with Aquam – minor, hermetic

Affinity with Rego – minor, hermetic

Cautious Sorcerer – minor, hermetic

Booklearner – minor, general

Independant Study – minor, general

Method Caster – minor, hermetic

Minor Magical Focus (Ice) – minor, hermetic

Personal Vis Source (Rego) – minor, hermetic

Puissant Aquam – minor, hermetic (free house virtue)

Social Contacts x2 – minor, general

Flaws:

Courteous – minor, personality

Covenant Upbringing – minor, personality

Flawed Parma Magica (Ignem) – minor, hermetic

Lesser Malediction: Has to live in an aura 3+ for at least half of the year – minor, supernatural

Limited Magic Resistance (Ignem) – minor, hermetic

Magical Animal Companion – minor, story

Necessary Condition: Movements – major, hermetic

Nocturnal – minor, personality

Abilities

Area Lore: Greater Alps Tribunal (Covenants) 2

Area Lore: Arelat & Burgundy (Hermetic Landscape) 1

Area Lore: Bavaria & Swabia (Hermetic Landscape) 1

Artes Liberales (Ritual magic) 1

Athletics (Climbing) 1

Charm (Covenfolk) 1

Etiquette (Magi) 1

Faerie Lore (Dark Faeries) 1

Finesse (Fast cast) 1

Folk Ken (Magi) 1

High German (Swabian) 5

Intrigue (Covenfolk) 1

Langue d'OΓ―l (Burgundian) 1

Latin (Hermetic) 4

Magic Lore (Water phenomena) 1

Magic Theory (Aquam) 3

Order of Hermes Lore (History) 1

Parma Magica (Corpus) 1

Penetration (Aquam) 1

Philosophiae (Natural) 1

Profession Scribe (Copying) 1

Swim (Endurance) 1

Arts

Creo 5

Rego 9

Aquam 9+3

Mentem 4

Imaginem 5

1 Like

A few comments. :slight_smile:

Depdending on how broad the contacts are, you may not need to take the virtue twice.

That's 3 personality flaws. ArM5 p.37 sets the limit at 2 (with only 1 that can be major).

In which book does Courteous appear? If it's not in one of the books, how does it penalizes the character?

You've diluted Bound to Magic, which prevents the character from living outside of a 5+ aura for more than a season at a time. Perhaps too much, by reducing both the strength of the aura and the time before anything bad happens? How often would a magus character stay out of a 3+ aura for more than half a year?

You mean casting gestures? Or some other movement? Just trying to clarify the situations where she wouldn't be able to cast spells.

I was planning on creating the social contacts as agents from Societies so it is not a broad group but specific ppl.

Ahh right - I will remove nocturnal and find another one. Courteous is not described anywhere, but I believe "acting courteous" can be detrimental because it entails some honour and courteosie when it comes to social encounters - like she can't just slit the throat of a person to get her way in politics.

I have diluted Bound to Magic yes, as I believe we agreed on? it is now a lesser flaw so having to live in a magic aura for 6+ months and the aura being at least 3+ is IMHO fair. the major one is aura 5+ and also 6+ months

Yes casting gestures, she can not cast magic subtly.